Weighted footwear



March 20, 1951 APRILE 2,545,910

WEIGHTED FOOTWEAR Filed Dec. 2, 1948 36 34 George Abrile INVENTOR.

BY 2mm Patented Mar. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE WEIGHTED FOOTWEAR George Aprile, Fair Lawn, N. J. 1 Application December 2, 1948, Serial No. 63,146

4 Claims. (01. sc -2.5)

This invention relates-to weighted footwear for use by athletes and others desirous of developing muscular strength and endurance.

A primary object of this invention is to provide weighted footwear which can be worn with reasonable comfort, and which can be used with footwear of substantially conventional character, the metal insole provided making it possible to employleather soles stitched to the vamp portions of substantially standard footwear, without danger of the heavy plate loosening from the footwear.

Still another object of this invention is to provide weighted footwear in which the total weight can be adjusted, as when an athlete wishes to gradually increase the total weight during a period of training.

Still another object is to provide weighted footwear in which the heavy plate has resilient pads on the bottom which coact with the leather sole and the resilient insole covering the metal insole to give a needed resiliency, without forfeiting either simplicity of design or effectiveness.

And a last object to be mentioned specifically is to provide weighted footwear which is relatively inexpensive and practicable to manufacture, safe and convenient to use and to adjust, and which will give generally efficient and durable service.

With these objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in the specification, particularly pointed out in the-appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing which forms a material part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a boot with this invention incorporated therein;

Figure 2' is a grouped view of a metal insole and. the heavy plate; and

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally through a structure such as illustrated in Figure 1, this view including a representation of the additional heavy plates removably secured between the sole and the principal heavy plate.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the different views in the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, this invention will include a boot having a vamp portion I which will be stitched to a leather sole I2 as indicated at I I. It is a feature of this invention that ordinary stitching can be so used 2 in the construction of the leather boot portion of this invention.

A heavy plate, generally indicated at IE, will have the same general configuration as the leather sole I2 and may be considered as comprising two portions, a portion I8 secured to the forward part of the footwear, and a heel portion 20 which may depend slightly beneath the general level of the forward portion I8. The plate I6 is bored and threaded at a plurality of points as indicated at 22 and spaced longitudinally of the plate.

To secure the plate I6 on the leather sole I2, there is provided a metal insole 24 having spaced countersunk aperturesZfi located to register with the threaded bores 22 in the heavy plate I6 and a similar number of headed screws 28 are inserted through the countersunk apertures 26, through the adjacent portions of the leather sole I2 and into the threaded bores 22, thus firmly attaching the heavy plate on the footwear. An insole of resilient material 30 is provided to cover the metal insole 24 and the heads of the screws 28. In attaching the heavy plate I6 in place, access to the forwardmost screw 28 is provided for by a slit aperture 32 in the leather toe portion of the footwear, it being understood that a screwdriver or like device can be inserted through the aperture 32 to engage the corresponding screw, when the resilient insole 30 has been removed.

In order that the weighted footwear may be more comfortable to wear and in the interest of preventing undue shock when the weighted footwear contacts a hard surface such as wooden or concrete floors, there are provided a pair of pads 34 and 36 on the under side of the forward portion I8 and heel portion 20 of the heavy plate I6, these pads being ordinarily constructed of rubber and adhesively secured to the heavy plate.

Finally, a set of additional heavy plates 38, each of a thickness ordinarily considerably less than the heavy plate IE but of generally similar configuration, are provided so that the user may graduate the total weight of the footwear by inserting one or more of these plates between the leather insole I2 and the top of the heavy plate I6. It will be understood that these additional heavy plates will be apertured suitably to receive the attaching screws 28.

The operation of this invention will be clearly understood from a consideration of the foregoing description and the mechanical details thereof, taken in connection with th drawing and with the above recited objects. Further description would, therefore, appear unnecessary;

Obviously, minor variation from the embodiment described herein may be resorted to without tending through said metal insole and sole intosaid plate to secure said plate to said metal'insole.

2. The combination in weighted footwear of a leather sole, a metal insole, a heavy plate of a shape conforming generally with the shape of said sole, means extending through said sole to secure said plate to said metal insole, and a pair of resilient pads on the bottom of said plate, one pad covering a forward portion of the plate and having the shape of a half-sole, and the other pad covering a heel portion of the plate.

3. The combination in weighted footwear of a vamp, a leather sole stitched to the vamp, a metal insole, a heavy plate of a shape conforming generally with the shape of said sole, 9, pair of resilient pads on the bottom of said plate, headed screws inserted through said insole and sole into said plate, one pad covering a forward portion of the plate and having the shape of a half-sole, and the other pad covering a heel portion of the plate, and a resilient insole covering said metal insole and the heads of said screws.

4. The combination in weighted footwear of a vamp, a leather sole stitched to the vamp, a metal insole, a heavy plate of a shape conforming generally with the shape of said sole, a resilient insole covering said metal insole and the heads of said screws, and additional heavy plates apertured to receive'said screws and removably securable between said sole and said plate to allow adjustment of the total weight.

GEORGE APRILE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,990,970 Wood Feb. 12, 1935 2,276,887 Smith Mar. 1'7, 1942 2,424,159 Goetz July 15, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 18,208/99 Great Britain Oct; 14, 1899 

